The Little Girl Under The Christmas Stars
by GCatsPjs
Summary: Brennan's Christmas Tradition- A Companion Piece to "The Boy Behind The Christmas Tree"
1. Age 6

It was Christmas eve, and six year old Temperance Brennan sat bundled in the car seat of her parents old car, the tinny sound of the radio playing Christmas carols as they drove through the city streets. Her blue eyes were wide with wonder as they drove through the streets of the city, pointing out the lights on different homes. She watched her daddy point different places out as her mother sang along to the songs that were playing on the radio, and her brother sat beside her, looking out the window as they drove.

"Look at that one, Dad!" Russ exclaimed, pointing out the brightly lit house that they were driving near. "That one is my favorite."

"It's my favorite too." Temperance chimed in, smiling at her mother's bright grin as she turned to watch her little girl enjoy the Christmas spirit.

"It's not your favorite, you have to pick your own favorite." Russ argued, scowling at his little sister.

"It's my favorite." Temperance said, watching her father's eyes in the rearview mirror.

"Tempe can have the same favorite as you, Russ. It's not going to make a difference." Matthew Brennan said, watching his son glare at his sister.

"But I said it was my favorite first."

"Don't be stubborn, Russ." Christine replied, watching her son. "It's Christmas, there's no need to be grumpy."

"Daddy?" Temperance said from her seat, she sounded eager and Matthew looked to his daughter to see that her focus was out the window. Up high in the sky, a red light was blinking on and off. To everyone in the car, they could see it was simply the red light atop a radio tower, blinking to warn off airplanes of its height. Temperance though, she had another thought in mind. "Daddy, what's that?"

"That red light up there?" He asked, watching her nod her head eagerly.

"Is that Rudolph the red nosed reindeer, Daddy? Is that Santa?" She asked, feeling her heart beat faster, her excitement bubbling up as she waited for her father's answer.

"It most certainly could be Rudolph!" Matthew replied. "We had better get home then! We need to get a certain little girl and little boy to bed before Santa gets there!"

"Hurry, Daddy! Hurry!" Temperance exclaimed. "He's following us now!" She said, turning her head as they passed the tower.

"Dad?" Russ called from the back seat, knowing full well that he was telling a little white lie to his sister. He caught his mother's eye, and she gave him a little wink. He smiled at her grin, and nodded, catching on to what they were doing. "You had better make sure you get us home in time to put milk and cookies out for Santa!"

"Milk and cookies! Milk and cookies!" Temperance exclaimed, and then burst into song despite the currently playing song on the radio. "Rudolph the red nosed reindeer! Had a very shiny nose!" Temperance began to shout and sing on top of her lungs. "And if you ever saw him! You would say he glowed!" She sang, happily, the rest of the car's occupants erupted into song as well, singing their way back to the Brennan household to prepare their home for visit from Santa Claus.


	2. Age 7

Age 7:

"What about that one, Tempe?" Matthew asked his daughter, watching her peer out of the window, the warm fluffy pink coat she was wearing impeding her view a moment, she pushed at it with her hand and peered out the window.

"Nah… nah, I don't like the blue lights on that one, Daddy." She said. "My favorite is down the road still." Temperance said as she swiped her hand across the window to remove the steam from her breath on the glass.

"Is it this one?" Matthew asked, pointing at a house with lights that glittered in the bushes, and colorful lights on the spruce trees in the front yard.

"Yeah! I like that one… the lights in the bushes look like little stars." She smiled at her father as he slowed at the house. "That one is my favorite, Daddy."

"I'm glad we found you a favorite, I was afraid we'd be driving around all night long looking for one." He said, glancing to his wife in the passenger seat as they smiled at one another. The warmth of their love was felt through the car, as Christine reached forward and turned the radio up just a little.

The little girl sat in her seat watching her mother sing along, the side of her face illuminated by the lights of the passing cars and the street lights, often the colors of the Christmas lights would light up the side of her face as she periodically looked into the back seat at her two children. Temperance was enamored by the beauty of her mother, listening to the angelic sound of her voice, her focus remained steady.

"Mommy?" Temperance said, watching her mother's eyes meet hers, she couldn't help but smile. "You have a very pretty voice."

"And so do you, angel." She smiled as she watched her daughter's blue eyes sparkle.

"Mommy, are there really angels?" She asked, watching her father start to speak, her mother reached across and touched her husband's lips to stop his response.

"Your daddy would have believe that there are no such thing as angels… he tends to stick to what he can see and feel, and touch. But mommy thinks that there are angels, she's pretty sure of it."

"Have you ever seen a real angel, Mommy?"

"You can't see real angels, baby girl… but you can feel them…" She smiled. "You know when you're standing in front of the Christmas tree, and you breathe really deeply, and all you smell is the realness of the tree, and you open your eyes, and you see those sparkly lights."

"Yeah…"

"And you get a little shiver down your spine, because you're so happy that you're surrounded by everyone you love."

"Yeah."

"That shiver…" She said, reaching her hand into the back seat, she tickled her daughter's neck as she giggled. "That's an angel kissing you." She smiled.

"No it's not, Mommy!" She laughed, pulling her mother's hand from hers, she held it in her hand, fumbling with the ring on her mother's finger for a moment.

"Are you saying that I don't know what an angel's kiss feels like?" Christine asked, pretending to be surprised.

"No!" Temperance laughed. "I believe you, Mommy!" She giggled, lifting her mother's hands to her lips, she kissed her on her knuckle, watching her smile brightly.

"Oh! I think I was just kissed by an angel!" Christine exclaimed as Temperance let out a laugh that filled the entire car.

"It was just me, Mommy! It was just me!" Temperance said happily, as the drive home from their annual Christmas eve trip was filled with laughter, singing and happiness, and another Christmas of family.


	3. Age 12

Age 12

Sitting in the car after their trip to see Christmas lights, Temperance listened to the carols playing on the radio as Russ waited impatiently for the car to stop at the house. "Are you kids ready to get in there and open your Christmas Eve gift?" Matthew asked, smiling at the bright grin on his daughter's face, and the impatient glare from Russ. "I guess that means yes." He laughed at Christine, who smiled at him.

They climbed from the seat and ran toward the house the moment the car was put into park, and Temperance reached the door before Russ, hopping happily as she waited for their father to open the door. Matthew put the key in the lock and both kids tumbled into the foyer and raced for the tree, listening to their mother's laughter as they ran into the family room.

"You would think that they were still five years old." Christine laughed, hearing her daughter's laughter as they clamored under the tree for the one gift they could open.

"To me, they'll always be young and full of imagination." Matthew said, kissing his wife's head as they walked around the corner. "Alright, alright… quit your fighting for two minutes while I get my camera out." He said, laughing at the excitement in his children's eyes. His son a teenager, his daughter on the cusp of being a teenager. They were growing up so fast, he didn't want a moment to escape them.

He watched Temperance digging under the lights of the tree, only to come up with a rectangular box for herself, she handed a gift off to Russ, and waited anxiously. "Dad, you're taking forever!" She exclaimed, watching as Christine sat on the sofa, the lights of the Christmas tree reflecting on her skin, giving her a happy glow as she watched her children bicker over who was going to open their gift faster.

Matthew appeared around the corner and took pictures of the kids smiling brightly at the camera, telling them to pose just to irritate their already eager selves. "Dad! Come on!" Russ exclaimed with a laugh.

"Aright, open it up…" He said. "Just one tonight, then the rest in the morning." He said, but the kids were already pulling at the paper, sending it in all directions as Temperance held the toolbox she had revealed above her head.

"Awesome!" She exclaimed. "A toolbox! Thanks mom and dad!" She said excitedly, already playing with the latch on it, she completely missed the silence in the room as Russ and his parents exchanged looks, the set of blue gloves and scarf in his hand were obviously for Temperance, but he said nothing.

"Thanks for the gift, Mom and Dad." Russ said, watching as his sister gushed excitedly over what was obviously a gift intended for him. He didn't say a word, but hugged his mother anyway.

"You're a good boy, Russ." Christine said with a laugh.

"I'd do anything for my little sis." He said sincerely.

"I know you would." She whispered.

"What did you get, Russ?" Temperance asked standing up to hug her father, she glanced toward her brother.

"Oh, just some lousy gloves and a scarf. I bet the coolest gifts are going to be for tomorrow anyway."

"I don't know. This was a pretty cool gift." She grinned at her parents happily.

"Alright… who is ready for some Christmas Eve hot chocolate?" Matthew asked, clapping his hands.

"Me!" Temperance and Russ exclaimed, as the two of them took off running for the kitchen, as Matthew held out his hand for his wife, and hand in hand they walked toward the kitchen for their Christmas eve tradition.


	4. Age 15

**_Age 15-_**

Temperance's room felt cold that night, colder than it had any other night in the past ten days. She shivered as she sat in her bedroom window, staring down into the front yard. Her eyes focused on the snow glittering on the driveway, and the gentle snowflakes falling from the sky. She shivered again.

Christmas Eve.

Christmas Eve in a nearly empty house.

She tried to focus on the Christmas lights on the house across the street. She watched them twinkling in the bushes and across the trim of their roof. Temperance tried so hard to keep from thinking about reality.

The reality of her parents not coming home that day.

The reality of their car being found miles and miles away from their home.

The reality that she and Russ were alone, alone with no answers or even a hope that things would be changing any time soon.

Temperance's head twisted when she saw the lights of a car moving slowly down the street. She could feel her heartbeat pounding as they approached, and sinking as the car drove slowly past.

She knew what the family in the passing car was doing. She knew that they were watching the lights. She was envious of their plight, of their happiness, their joy. She was envious of their togetherness. She felt a shiver slide across her body. It wasn't a warm and happy shiver like when her mother tickled her, or when her father told her a story that made her warm inside. It was a cold and lonely shiver.

She focused on the lights in the bushes across the street, the blues and whites matched her mood, and she felt a hot tear roll down her cheek. Russ was all she had when he was around. Russ was who she needed to count on, who she needed to rely on.

Temperance could feel a tight anger rising in her belly, the angry tears rolling down her cheeks slowly. "I wish you would come back, Mom." She whispered into the air. She felt silly for doing such a thing, knowing that she couldn't hear. "Dad… please come home soon." She whimpered.

Temperance curled into a ball on the window seat, focusing on the lights across the street, until her tears dried, and her eyes closed, and she drifted to sleep.

It could have been hours for all she knew, when Temperance heard a thump downstairs. She gasped and looked up at the sound, and looked out the window. The lights on the house next door were now off, and she could feel the pall darkness of night covering her. She heard the sound again, and leapt to her feet.

Quickly, she walked to the doorway and opened the door. Her heart was pounding in her chest, and from upstairs she could see that someone had put up the Christmas tree. The lights glittered on the stairs as Temperance rushed down the steps, expecting to see her parents sitting on the couch at the bottom, waiting for she and Russ to enter the room. The excitement was overwhelming, and when she reached the landing on the stairs, she automatically sensed something was wrong.

The room was dark but for the Christmas tree, and someone had arranged gifts beneath it. The couches were empty of her parents, and there was no smell of coffee wafting through the air.

"What do you think?" Russ said from the other side of the room, seeing the wide eyed expression of his sister.

"What do I think?" She asked, swallowing hard.

"Yeah… I found the Christmas presents in Mom and Dad's room." Russ said, a kind smile on his lips. "I thought that we could…"

"You thought what? That we could open them without them?" She snapped. "Russ… Mom and Dad are gone. We don't even know where they are."

"So? It doesn't mean we can't have Christmas."

"You're so selfish!" She exclaimed. "Mom and Dad are missing! And all you can think about is Christmas gifts?"

"Tempe, this is for you… I thought that we could just have a normal Christmas. Keep our minds off…"

"You're so stupid, Russ! We can't have Christmas without Mom and Dad! Christmas is about having your family around!"

"Come on, Tempe. Just open one gift… just one, and…"

"No." She said, feeling her heart breaking in her chest, she wanted to scream, to cry. She wanted… her family. "What a stupid idea Russ." She said, turning around. "Just leave me alone!" She exclaimed, stomping quickly up the stairs.

"Tempe! Come on!" Russ called after her, and all he heard in response was the slamming of her bedroom door.


	5. Age 17

**_Age 17-_**

Temperance stomped angrily down the sidewalk. She didn't know where she was going exactly, just that she needed to keep walking. It was supposedly Christmas Eve, and she wished that she were anywhere other than where she was right now. Carefully, she crossed the street, feeling the cold slush seeping into her boots, she felt the hot tears stinging her eyes as she picked up her pace. She heard the sound of a car rolling down the street slowly, and she scowled and walked faster.

As the car approached, she slowed down, stopping in front of a colorfully decorated house, her eyes focused on the lights.

"Temperance?" A voice came from the car. The woman's voice was so sickeningly sweet it made her nauseous. "Temperance, please come home?"

She ignored the woman's words, ignored what she was implying. Home. If she had any sense of mirth in her at that moment, she'd have laughed. Where she was staying was not home.

Home was not a place where someone else's family gathered to exchange gifts with children that they took in for charity.

Home was not a place where you sat around pretending to be a family, smiling tight smiles of thanks for socks and ugly sweaters that she'd never wear.

Home was not where these people lived, where she stayed. That wasn't home.

She wasn't even sure what home was anymore.

"Tempe?" The woman said again.

Temperance turned her attention toward the woman in the car and scowled. "Please leave me alone."

"Tempe, it's Christmas Eve. We were going to open gifts, and sing Christmas carols, celebrate the birth of Jesus."

"I don't open gifts." She said sharply, turning toward the Christmas lights again. "And Jesus wasn't born in December. Anyone with half of a brain knows that. I don't appreciate you pushing your religious beliefs on me." She said, staring at the lights.

"Tempe, get into the car now!" A man's voice shouted across the car.

Instead of answering, she decided to continue walking. She walked along on the sidewalk, admiring the different colors and types of lights on different homes, all the while keenly aware of the car that was driving slowly alongside her, trying to get her attention. She concentrated on the lights, the pretty stars of the holiday season, trying to remember what it was like when she was younger, trying to pull the magic of the holiday from the homes of others.

"Temperance! Get in the car!"

"Just leave me alone." She snapped, turning around. "I am not part of your family! I don't want to be part of your stupid family! Just leave me alone! Stop trying so hard! I don't want your stupid gifts! I don't want your fake smiles, and your disgusting Christmas cookies! I just want to be left alone! Don't you see that? Are you that stupid?" She shouted. Her face was hot with anger, and the woman in the passenger seat was staring at the girl with a stupefied expression.

Temperance turned away from them.

She stared hard at the house in front of her, hoping and wishing that the car behind her would just disappear.

She was hoping that she would just disappear.

"Tempe?" The woman's voice was a little sterner. Apparently she had been offended. "You're our responsibility. We can't leave you outside here to wander the streets alone. You need to come with us."

Temperance knew that the woman was right, and she knew that this family wasn't nearly as bad as some of the others. She just couldn't help but feel that bubbling cauldron of bitterness. She couldn't help feeling lost in her own thoughts and sadness. She turned around and faced the family in the car. She could see that the woman in the passenger seat was sincerely concerned.

"I just need some time and space." She said sincerely. "I'll come back."

The woman sighed softly, and the man said something beside her. "You'll come back tonight?"

"Yes." Temperance nodded. "I just… I want to look at the Christmas lights, if you don't mind. Alone."

There was a moment of pause, and Temperance was sure that the man was close to climbing out of the car and hauling her into the car. She swallowed hard and looked at the family's children looking at her from the back seat. "We just wanted to give you a nice Christmas, Temperance."

"I don't think that's possible." She said sincerely.

The woman nodded her head reluctantly, and turned toward her husband. "We'll see you at home later."

Temperance nodded, and with that, she rolled up her window, and the car slowly continued down the street without her.

She could feel the tears in her eyes as the family disappeared around the corner, and her teeth clenched as she attempted to control her emotions. With a deep breath, she closed her eyes, and turned on her heel toward the brightly lit home in front of her. In her mind she could see her parents, hear their laughter. She could feel Russ lightly punch her shoulder as she told a joke, and laughed.

That was family.

That was home.


	6. Age 22

_** Age 22-**_

The lantern's light flickered playfully as Temperance moved through her tent to the small makeshift table in the corner. The lantern was one of the few luxuries she had on this particular dig. She was thousands of miles from home once again, diving into a world that was thousands of years old. She sat down on the metal folding chair that was situated at her table, and reached once again for the folded paper beside the lantern.

Carefully, she unfolded the letter, looking down at the words on the paper, she smiled to herself. The night's peaceful silence enveloped her and warmed her despite the cool evening. She adjusted the blanket around her shoulders and read the letter again and again.

A job offer from the Jeffersonian Institute in Washington DC.

It offered steady pay, reliability, a schedule, and freedom to work outside the country on digs of all kinds. She glanced at the date at the top of the letter and sighed as she counted out the days that it had taken to arrive. She then moved to the calendar beside her other papers and ran her finger down the dates, pausing for a moment when she realized what the day was.

Christmas Eve.

It was Christmas Eve, and it had arrived without a mention from anyone else on the dig, though she had noticed that many had gone home for a short time. She just hadn't realized what day it was. She felt a lump in her throat, and her eyes burned slightly as she pushed her emotions farther and farther back. Instead of dwelling on it, she decided to dwell on the words in front of her, the offer of a lifetime.

Her hands trembled slightly and she placed the letter down, smoothing out the crease with her hand. She grabbed hold of a loose sheet of paper and quickly wrote a brief letter of acceptance, noting that she would be returning before the first of the year, and that she would appreciate a week of settling back into a routine before starting work.

Temperance could feel a rumble of excitement in her belly, knowing that she would be going home again. As quickly as the excitement had arrived, though, anxiety filled crowded in, washing away that happy feeling that she had allowed herself to have. She signed her name on the bottom of the letter, and quickly folded it before she could give it a second thought. She slipped it into the envelope they had provided her, and carefully fastened it closed. She placed the letter on the table and smoothed her hands over it for a moment, feeling that she had done the right thing in accepting the position.

She knew that everyone else in the camp was sleeping, but the letter continued to stare back at her and she could feel her anxiety level rising with each passing second. She quickly stood up and grabbed the letter, and her lantern, and made her way to the opening of her tent.

The night was crisp and cool, and the scent of the air was not that of Christmas by any stretch of the imagination. Surrounded by darkness, she couldn't help but feel alone, though that feeling around this time of year was not unfamiliar to her. She took two steps toward the office tent, and her eyes lifted into the sky slowly. She gasped at the beauty above her, the array of a million stars twinkling above her, and her breath was held. With a moment's pause, she reached down and lowered the light on the lantern and was immediately swallowed by the universe.

She had felt small before she had stepped out of her tent, but now she felt positively invisible, a mere speck in the universe that by some anthropological means had the ability to live and breathe in the beauty of the millions of worlds around her. She was both overwhelmed and captivated by the way the stars twinkled above her, and a smile found its way to her lips as she imagined the millions of stars as millions of Christmas lights shining down on her. She could hear her mother's voice in her mind, whispering about angels and laughing with her father.

Temperance felt a sudden chill in the air as she shivered, and the memories of her past turned her smile into a frown as a pall of sadness fell over her. With a deep, cleansing breath she pushed those memories into the back of her mind. She chided herself for allowing those thoughts to enter her mind, and turned the lantern's light to a full burn.

With determination and strength, she moved on to drop her letter in the outgoing mail bin, reminding herself over and over again, that she can never and never will be truly home again.


	7. Age 28

_**Age 28-**_

The door to bone storage opened slowly, and Temperance flicked the light on. The sounds from the Jeffersonian Christmas party wafted across the platform and through the offices in the lab, cut short by the closing of the metal door. Silence greeted Temperance like an old friend, embracing her fully. She had eight hours before her plane left for what Angela had called another 'unpronounceable country', and she was hoping to get a little bit of work done beforehand. Her friend had reminded her several times of the Jeffersonian Christmas party, and she may have even thrown in a loose threat or two that Temperance promptly shook off.

Unfortunately, Temperance was not in a very festive mood. The sounds of caroling grated on her nerves, and the colorful decorations through the lab simply served as a distraction. She imagined her coworkers all crowded into the conference room laughing and drinking eggnog, exchanging gifts, and generally wasting their time. Christmas Eve would be upon them in a little over three hours, and the last thing she wanted was to be surrounded by a room full of rowdy, drunk coworkers.

Carefully, she walked to one of the marked boxes on the wall. She slid the box from its resting place and walked to one of the exam tables. She removed the bones from the container, and very carefully arranged them in their proper order, paying careful attention to the condition of each and every one of them. She settled into her routine, and carefully began to review her notes from her previous trip to storage, choosing to rest a moment in her self imposed silence. Her fingers rolled over the bones on the table, and she was suddenly stricken by how white they were in contrast to the silver of the tray. The harsh lighting from above seemed to clash against the metal surfaces.

She looked up at the thousands of boxes in the room, each and every one of them illuminated, each and every one holding a chapter of a story that had yet to be told. The interns called this room 'Limbo', likening it to the holding pattern of the thousands of souls that lay unclaimed within the boxes. Some of them war veterans, some simply found by an innocent bystander, but all of them were someone. Every bone in every box belonged to a person that had once walked the earth, experienced life, and more times than she could count, had that life cut tragically short. The anthropology unit of the Jeffersonian used these bodies as teaching tools. Every body had a story, and it was up to Temperance Brennan and her team to find those answers.

Until recently, Temperance had been working simply within the Jeffersonian lab on ancient remains, on various exhibits for the museum, or discovering the identities or histories of the remains hidden in bone storage. Until recently, she often worked alone, with nobody other than her fellow colleagues that thought the same way as she did, and exhibited the same work ethic and educational mindset. Until several months ago, she could lose herself in her work, and the lost souls that sit within the walls of this chasm of the unknown. Things had been shaken up within the last year, and the dynamic in the Jeffersonian was changing. Angela had come to work in the Jeffersonian, a free spirit that though Temperance often found herself trying to distance herself from it, was always pulled back into her personality. There was just something about that free expression that Angela displayed that pulled Temperance in closer. Though instead of trying to explain it, she simply pushed it away and continued her work.

Temperance cleared her throat and yawned. She could feel a pall of exhaustion start to make her mind drift, and she closed her eyes to try to ward it off. This time of year was always difficult for her. Since her parent's disappearance, she found that hunger often escaped her, and sleep was a distant memory during the holidays. She always found that diving head first into her work was just the thing she needed in order to keep her mind from wandering into those unpleasant memories. Her cell phone rang, and she jumped at the sound of the phone vibrating against the metal table. She lifted it into her hand and gave the screen a sad smile.

It was her brother.

Her finger hovered over the answer button for a moment, and her eyes closed as she tried to will herself to answer. Unfortunately though, though her soul was strong, her heart was weak, and she pressed the ignore button. She knew he was simply reaching out to wish her a happy Christmas. She knew that he was trying. She also knew that if she opened up that line of communication, if she let him in, then every wall that she had put up in protecting herself from her emotions was at risk. She turned her phone off when the phone sounded indicating a message, and settled back into her task.

Temperance focused on the bones, focused on what she needed to give to the victim, not what she needed to give herself. She put all of her strength, energy and concentration into her work, and tried to keep her exhaustion at bay.

After what seemed like only an hour of standing on her feet, she decided to take a small break, figuring that she would be perfectly safe from holiday revelers in the depths of her office. She slipped from the storage room into the lab, and listened for any sign of people. The lab's security lights were on now, and the festive sounds from upstairs had disappeared. She glanced at her watch to see how much time had passed and her brow furrowed when she realized that it was ten after midnight. The party guests had long disappeared, and the lab was now peaceful and quiet. She walked across the lab floor toward her office and looked around to see a sign of anyone lurking about, and sighed in relief when she realized once again that she was alone. She stepped through the office door, and flicked on the light, and a look of confusion crossed her face.

On the desk was a red fur hat, with a white fur brow, typically seen on depictions of Santa Claus, she reminded herself. She knew that it hadn't been there earlier, so she approached her desk with a bit of wary curiosity. She lifted the hat up into her hands and down at the scrawl on the paper beneath it, a note from Angela.

'Next year, no excuses! Have a safe trip. Love, Angela'

Temperance lifted the note and couldn't help but allow a slow smile to appear on her lips. She turned the page over and her eyebrows lifted. She tipped her head to see what the image was, and after a moment realized exactly what she was looking at. She let out a stifled laugh and shook her head, stepping to the shredder, she let the paper slide in. Once the photocopy had been destroyed, she realized that she had been smiling at her friend's antics. Maybe things were going to be different, maybe next year she'd give the Christmas party a try. Maybe. After all, it looked like Angela was going to need a chaperone.


	8. Age 29: Man In The Fallout Shelter

_**Age 29- Man In the Fallout Shelter**_

Temperance sat in her office alone, quietly contemplating what had just happened moments earlier. She watched as Ivy Gillespie's granddaughter led her grandmother through the lab to the doors of the lab. Temperance stood to step to the doorway, her eyes welling with tears again. She slowly swiped them away with a finger. Her thoughts were racing of so many things, and her eyes once again grazed the colorful hologram tree that was still a light on the Angelator.

Slowly, she stepped forward, her eyes sparkling with the colorful decorations that twinkled as the tree twirled. She could feel her emotions creeping up into her chest, and fought them back down again. She could feel her lip trembling slightly and bit down on it, her eyes focusing on the lights. Her thoughts danced around about the past two days, and the things she had learned about her colleagues, about the closeness that they had all seemed to feel while they were all contained in the lab against their will. She had learned so much about their traditions and beliefs, things she had never known or guessed.

Angela had been the most supportive, the most understanding about her own situation, and she appreciated it. The story of her parent's disappearance often played into her attitudes and feelings of family and togetherness, even when she didn't even notice it. Angela seemed to understand the circumstances around Temperance's feelings, and didn't make her feel guilty about missing the exchange of gifts, but kept her close when it mattered most. She knew when to push and when to hold back, and that was not something that Temperance would forget. It wasn't the first time that she was the odd one out. Angela had been correct when she expressed her realization of the circumstances behind the death of 'Careful Lionel'. Temperance did feel a certain kinship or connection with the woman behind the remains that had captured them in the lab in the first place. Her emotions had been everywhere this particular holiday season, beginning with the disappointment of not being able to take her yearly Christmas sojourn from home. She had been given a place at a dig in Niger, but her obligations to the Jeffersonian had kept her here in D.C.

The disappointment was quickly followed by confusion and irritation at her coworkers for their careless actions while dealing with the remains. Hodgins and Zack knew protocol, and it should have been followed. If they had just been more focused on their work, and less on having a good time, then this wouldn't have happened. Of course, her thoughts went immediately to the person who had brought the remains to the lab in the first place.

There was a part of her initially that was grateful that Booth had brought the remains to her immediately, and not waited for after the holidays. He knew that she wouldn't be able to resist the temptation of taking on a project during the holidays, for she could never resist the temptation of working regardless of the time of year. Maybe there was some innate sense that he understood that she was looking for a distraction, or perhaps they were right. Perhaps he only brought the remains to her in order to cut into the minutia of paperwork and menial tasks he was given. In any case, it was a mystery that needed to be solved, and he knew exactly where to go to solve it.

She moved slowly around the Angelator, focusing on all sides of the hologram tree. She imagined feeling the warmth of the lights on her face, indulging in the feeling in her chest of her increased heart rate, and if she closed her eyes, she could hear her mother and father's laugh as they sipped their coffee behind her. She quickly pulled herself from her reverie, embarrassed to have indulged herself in that moment as she stole a glance around to ensure that nobody had seen.

Her cheeks and ears burned, but the small smile on her face remained. She looked around the lab at the shiny instruments and tables, the lights flickering off their surfaces and multiplying the brightness of them. She felt safe here, she felt at home. This is where her friends were, where her career was, where her happiness lived. Her eyes traveled to the door, and her heart instantly began to sink as she remembered how alone she was, even in the sanctity of her lab. Every one of her friends had someone to visit them, to love them, to miss them; each and every person had someone, but her. She fought the scowl that was attempting to make its appearance and she glanced to her office. She knew where the secrets were lying within the cabinet of her office; she knew where the box of gifts from her parents was. She just wished that she was brave enough to venture inside and capture the moment, capture that spirit of Christmas that Booth was so easy to exclaim existed.

She could still feel the happiness that came with giving Ivy Gillespie the closure she needed, she could feel the excitement thrumming through her body, and for the first time in many Christmases, she felt the need to share it. She had shared the sadness of the holidays with Angela, but now she needed to share the joy.

In a quick, sweeping motion, she hurried to her office. She grabbed her coat and her bag, and silently hoped that Booth would still be at Wong Foo's, so that she could share the happy news with him about the case. She knew that he would appreciate it, for even though she had felt so alone through the entirety of Christmas Eve, and today, he had made the effort of stopping to remind her that he was there if she needed him.


	9. Age 31: Santa In The Slush

_**Age 31- Santa in the Slush**_

Temperance stepped through the newly fallen snow to her car, looking up at the sky as the snowflakes melted on her warm skin. She felt happy and sad at the same time, and was not sure that she wanted to even attempt to sort out those emotions at this moment. Christmas Eve had come, and was nearly gone once again, though this year was markedly different.

The happiness came from having her family nearby. Her father, her brother, though both in prison, were there. But it was that one person that was missing that seemed to wrap the entire affair in a pall of sadness.

She stared up at the sky for a moment, hoping to capture a glimpse of the stars, but found that the clouds that were sprinkling the earth with snowflakes had dampened any possibility for stargazing. She sighed in resignation and unlocked her car, hoping to find some warmth within. The seats were just as crisp and cold as the nighttime air, and her breath hung in the air as puffs of steam even as she started the car.

Her mind shifted to the past couple of years, of the things that had happened, all of the changes that had occurred. Temperance could hear her breathing rattled as if her body wanted to cry, but her mind simply wouldn't allow it. She started the car and began to drive. She focused on the road, but her mind wandered here and there, to the uncertainties that her future still held. She thought of her father's Christmas wish, and how all he had wanted was for the family to be together. She thought of her brother and his family, and the smiles and laughter that she had witnessed. She thought of the phone call from Booth, and the surprise of the Christmas tree in the distance. Her heart warmed at his sentiment, at his eagerness and the thoughtfulness of the gesture. Temperance's tongue then ran over her upper lip, and her cheeks warmed in something other than the Christmas spirit.

She pulled her thoughts from that place for a moment, still denying herself the happiness of the Christmas season, and found that she was no longer traveling in the direction of her apartment. Instead, she found herself in a familiar neighborhood that was not her own. Her eyes gazed up at Booth's apartment, and she smiled as she thought of him spending Christmas with Parker. He had been so disappointed, so disillusioned by the thought of spending Christmas alone. She paused and opened the glove compartment, pulling from it the small green box that she had carefully placed there. Her fingers ran over the smooth cover, and she thought of the contents for a moment. Her eyes lifted to the street, and her eyes focused on the colorful decorations that lined the streets, and the lights that sparkled from the windows of the apartments and storefronts that surrounded her. A light smile came to her face as she closed her eyes and felt their warmth, wishing for the gentle sound of her mother's voice in her ear. She could almost smell the spruce from tree, she could almost feel that spirit that Sweets had claimed had disappeared from her heart far too early. She was suddenly roused from her reverie by the sound of a passing snowplow, scraping the asphalt violently with its blade.

She sucked in a sharp breath and before she could stop herself, she was out of the car and heading up the sidewalk to Booth's apartment. She took the stairs in place of the elevator, sending a wary look at the old contraption. She stepped to Booth's door, and raised her hand to knock, she gently rapped at the wooden door. Immediately, Temperance questioned her motive for visiting him, though the weight of the gift in her hand reminded her. She listened for a moment for movement, trying to convince herself that she would be interrupting a family moment, and took a step back.

Before she could make her retreat, the door opened, and her eyes widened in surprise. "Uh…"

"Hey Bones," he said softly, almost as if he had expected her arrival.

She nearly stammered to regain her ability to talk, something she rarely needed to do. "I um… wasn't going to come over, but I was in the neighborhood, and I thought I'd drop by to give you the gift I bought for you. I understand you have Parker, and you're probably entertaining him…" She felt silly for babbling on, but simply couldn't seem to stop herself.

"He's sleeping, Bones," he whispered.

"Oh, oh… well, I… I don't want to bother you guys, so I'll just… I'll bring this back after Christmas." She could feel her face turning red and she could see the humored expression on his face that was making her feel very self conscious suddenly.

"Come in, it's okay. He sleeps like a log."

"But I thought that Christmas Eve was the night of the…"

"Immaculate deception? Yeah." Booth said, rolling his eyes.

Her brow furrowed, and she continued to stand in the doorway, unsure of what to do. "I don't know what that…"

Suddenly, he made her mind up for her and grabbed her arm, tugging her into his apartment as he closed the door behind her. "Just come in, Bones."

"Are you sure? I can come back another time and…"

"No, it's fine," he said, flashing a smile to ensure she saw his sincerity. "Do you want something to drink? Beer? Water?"

She paused for a moment, knowing that if she took a drink, she would be committing herself to a visit. "A beer would be fine." After she spoke, she looked for something else to talk about, to just keep the moments moving and keeping them from being awkward. "Your tree looks nice."

"Thanks," he paused. "You've seen it, Bones."

She suddenly felt odd about mentioning the tree, and followed him into the kitchen. "Have I been here since you put it up?" She asked, taking the open beer from his hands, she looked back to the tree, and back to her partner.

"Probably," he said with a smile. She watched him glance at the box in her hands. "What do you have there?"

"It's your Christmas gift," she said with a furrowed brow, unsure of why he'd ask such a ridiculous question.

"I know, but what's in it?"

"You have to open it," she said, handing it over to him. She could feel her cheeks burn slightly at his eyes catching hers. "It's not much, just something I thought you'd like."

"You didn't have to get me anything, Bones."

Suddenly, she felt extremely self conscious, and started to reach for the box. "Booth...Just open it."

He pulled the box from her, and opened it, his eyes falling on her, just as she looked to his. When he looked down at the object in the box, she was sure that she heard him gasp slightly. "Bones," he whispered, reaching into the box. "You really…"

"It's just a little something. You don't have to wear it, or use it… or anything." She wondered suddenly when her voice had turned into a whispered mumble, but accepted it and shrugged.

He pulled the chain from the box, and looked poignantly at the simple gold cross that hung from it. "It's beautiful," he paused. "Thank you."

"It's nothing special. I mean, I thought that you…"

"It's perfect, Bones," he said pulling the chain around his neck, he smiled at her. She could feel the warmth of his smile, and hear the sincerity in his voice. "It's perfect."

The moment following his words was filled with a nearly awkward silence, and she fought with her brain to find something to say. Her eyes moved to the cross, and she sipped her beer, both at a loss for words. "Oh…" She said softly, reaching forward for a needle that had somehow landed on his sweater.

"What?" his whispered response seemed to indicate that his mind had been elsewhere as well. "Oh," he whispered when he saw what she had captured in her fingertips.

"Spruce needle," she said, holding it up. She looked at it closely, trying to think of anything else she could say, but everything that came to mind seemed awkward. She took another sip of beer and leaned onto the table, pulling herself onto the barstool. She took a slow, deep breath as her eyes fell onto the tree across the room. Her mind wandered for a moment as she watched the sparkling lights on the tree, and gently drank in the warm feelings that she was quickly attributing to the libation in her hand. After a moment, she heard the words drip from her mouth without so much as a pause. "Did you ever notice how nice a freshly cut Christmas tree smells?" Her words fell to silence, and when she glanced to Booth, she could see a curious smile on his lips. "What?" she asked.

"Nothing, Bones," he whispered, pulling himself into the barstool across from her.

Temperance could feel him settle in the barstool, his company relaxing and right. She closed her eyes for a moment and slowly breathed in that gentle scent of the spruce tree across from her. She opened her eyes to the sparkling lights of the tree, and could have sworn she felt a soft and tender shiver work its way down her spine.

A tender smile rose on her face, as she remembered her mother's words, and the meaning behind that shiver.

"What, Bones?" Booth whispered.

"The magic of Christmas, Booth."


	10. Age 33: The Goop On The Girl (Xmas Eve)

_**Age 33- The Goop on the Girl (Christmas Eve)-**_

Temperance stood in her kitchen watching Max and Margaret string lights throughout her apartment. She had told them that the tree was enough, but could see that they were clearly not listening to her direction. In the haste of their case, Temperance had given her father permission to decorate, and was currently watching them as they sang carols and strung lights. Unfortunately, Temperance was not feeling as festive as she had hoped. Her thoughts were still on the mother of Holden Chevaleer, and on the unfairness that she would be spending her Christmas alone after burying her only child.

She had nearly begged Booth to help with the preparation for the dinner, knowing that her father and Margaret would only succeed in 'doing what families do'. Which, was having a knack for getting on her nerves. She watched as Margaret twirled a piece of garland around in a circle, and nearly knocked over one of her Mayan artifacts, and cringed with irritation.

"I need to go out." Temperance said suddenly, watching her two guests stop what they were doing, they looked to her.

"Did we forget something at the store?" Max asked.

"No." She said, bluntly. She turned without an explanation, and grabbed her coat. She grabbed a small package from the table near the door, and her purse, and quickly walked out the door. As soon as the door closed, she could feel the tension and relief of being out of the apartment. She took a slow, deep breath, and when the melodic sound of Margaret's carols rang through the door, she released the breath and quickly made her way toward the stairs.

She retreated to the sidewalk with a near frantic pace, and though she knew that her father wasn't following to question her, she felt like she needed to escape faster. When her apartment was no longer in view, she slowed her pace, allowing the cold wind to bite at her cheeks. She wondered for a moment whether she'd be better off in El Salvador where it was warmer, where she'd be alone with her thoughts, and quickly pushed that thought aside. She had promised her family and friends a Christmas dinner. She hadn't promised them that she'd like it.

Temperance's pace was slow, though she kept her speed steady and her eyes forward. Her mind, as usual was flickering at the speed of light, and pictures and thoughts sailed across like a film. She reached into her pocket for her gloves, and her fingers landed on the box that she had grabbed from the table by the door. Without a second thought, she hailed a cab, climbed inside, and immediately directed the driver to Booth's apartment.

As they neared Booth's neighborhood, she suddenly began to feel nervous. There was no reasoning behind this feeling, but it seemed to get stronger as they approached his apartment. When they were nearly four blocks from his building, she urged the driver to drop her off at the next corner. She paid him for the ride, ensuring that she provided a holiday tip and carefully climbed from the cab. At first she wasn't sure that being let out in this particular neighborhood was a good idea, but quickly pushed aside that concern. She was more than capable of dealing with any hoodlums if the situation called for it.

With a cleansing breath, she walked down the street toward her partner's apartment. She had a specific reasoning for her actions, and smiled as she walked past the sparkling Christmas lights that decorated porches and storefronts. She wasn't particularly fond of the large, blow up ornaments of snowmen and Santa clause. She preferred the traditional glow of Christmas lights, illuminating every surface it touched. She preferred the primary colors, and the dim brightness of older light sets, not the blindingly bright LED lights that seem to try too hard to outshine the rest. As she walked along the sidewalk, her fingers rolling over the small box in her pocket with bow, her mind began to slip into a darker place.

Temperance stopped at one light display, where a plastic angel sit illuminated on a high porch high above her. Its yellow wings and white body sent lights glittering all around it, and her brow furrowed. Any time she saw an angel, she thought of her mother. And every time she thought of her mother, she could feel her heart clench in her chest. Things had changed so much since she was a little girl. Her father was no longer the man she remembered, and her mother was dead. Russ had his own family and was spending the holidays with them. The thought of all of these changes made her chest hurt.

Temperance ground her teeth and looked away, feeling the sharp sting of tears in her eyes, and her feet carried her away from the angel. She thought of Holden's mother, of how all of her Christmas' from now on would be tainted with the memory of her son's death. She thought of her partner and how alone he must feel on Christmas Eve without his son, without his family. She thought of what Max had said, about how being alone at Christmas meant that nobody loved you.

She knew that he was wrong. She knew that being alone at Christmas was not always a choice that you can make. She knew that Parker loved his father, and if he could, he'd be there with him. She knew that Max was simply pushing his own agenda, his own way once again. It bothered her that Max could be so selfish, but if he hadn't been, she wouldn't be here for her friends, for her family, and they were the ones that mattered most.

Another block, and Temperance arrived at Booth's apartment. She took the stairs up to his door and knocked lightly. She waited a moment and began to have second thoughts. What if he was entertaining? What if he wasn't home? What if he was sleeping?

She knocked again, if only to stop her train of thought from thwarting her intentions.

When there was no answer, she listened and heard nothing. So without second guessing herself, she pulled the spare key he had given her from her pocket, and easily unlocked his door. Listening to the soft creak of the door, she instantly noticed that his apartment was in darkness. Well, it was in darkness except for the Christmas tree, illuminated in front of the far window.

"Booth?" She whispered, looking from side to side. She didn't want to startle him if he happened to be sleeping on the couch. She walked slowly across the room and focused her attention on the Christmas tree, it's beautiful lights calling to her. She could see that his coat was draped across the couch, so he had to be inside, and chastised herself when she took a step toward his bedroom. She closed her eyes and sighed, turning to look directly at the tree again.

What she saw, nearly made her heart jump into her throat, a set of feet beneath the tree. The lights of the tree illuminated the colorful stripes on the socks, and she was quick enough to recognize them as Booth's, without giving herself away. Her mind raced with possible reasons, and her heart quickened with the thought that he might be playing a prank, and that he might try jumping out at her.

She took the small box from her pocket, and let her fingers play at the sparkling bow. She watched the tree carefully, and waited for him to show himself. She took a step toward the tree, the darkness of the room not bothering her as she walked across the floor. Her eyes were suddenly drawn to the top of the tree, and focused on the beautiful angel at its top. Its beauty was entrancing, and she could feel a gentle shiver down her neck. She knew then, that if Booth hadn't shown himself, that he wouldn't be doing so at all. She silently hoped that he wasn't embarrassed, for she knew that for whatever reason he had for being there at this moment.

It was his.

Her eyes danced over the branches now, as she finally broke the gaze with the angel, and a small handmade ornament caught her eye. She smiled softly as she picked up the ornament, obviously made by a child, by Parker. She thought she heard a noise, her attention pulled away from the tree, and she quickly remembered that Booth was so much closer than behind his bedroom door. He was just an arm's reach away.

She breathed in a slow breath, smiling as she captured the scent of him, mingling in the spruce. She closed her eyes and captured that moment, feeling that familiar shiver down her spine. She sighed and wondered if she should leave the gift on the table, worried that it would get lost under the tree, before she decided that she knew he'd open it as soon as she stepped out. She knew he'd be too curious to wait. So she quickly bent down to place the gift below the tree, and smiled as she stood up. She looked through the tree, where she was sure that she saw a glimpse of her partner through its branches. "Merry Christmas, Booth," she whispered, turning from the tree slowly. A small smile graced her lips, and she walked toward the door. She walked out into the hallway and secured the lock into place. She could feel the sting of tears in her eyes as she paused. One day she'd tell him what Christmas means to her. Because of all of her friends and family, of all of the people she knew. He was the one person that understood the importance of tradition.


	11. Age 33- The Goop on the Girl (Xmas Day)

_**Age 33- The Goop on the Girl (Christmas Day)-**_

Temperance smiled perhaps a bit brightly as she closed the door behind her father and Margaret. It had been a long and stressful evening, and she was just happy that everything had gone well at dinner. With all of the help that she had, and the pleasant sounds of her friends and family throughout her apartment throughout the evening, she had nearly forgotten that Booth still hadn't left. She watched him from across the room, noting that his eyes were starting to close despite his battle to keep them open. She walked to the kitchen and noticed that the wine bottle was nearly empty, and it held enough for the two of them to enjoy. She poured them each a glass and walked toward him.

"Hey," she said, sitting beside him, she touched his hand with the stem of the glass and his eyes opened, and his head tipped forward.

"What is this?" he asked, eyeing her playfully.

"The rest of the wine." Her voice was tired, and she watched his eyes follow her hand with the other glass of wine. "I didn't want it to go to waste."

"Ah..." he said with a smile. She settled next to him and gave him a soft smile. "Thank you."

Oddly, she could feel herself becoming slightly nervous suddenly. There was no rhyme or reason for her anxiety, but it almost felt like she couldn't think straight. "I just couldn't see it going to waste, you know? It was very good wine, and..."

"Bones," Booth said, with a hint of humor in his voice, she could feel her cheeks beginning to burn slightly. "I mean thank you for inviting me for Christmas dinner. It was nice."

"I couldn't see you being alone for Christmas. We spend so much time together, we're practically family, right?" She paused, and couldn't tell if he had really understood what she meant. "I mean… family that I can put up with." She said with a knowing smile, watching his eyes soften as he relaxed into the couch, he yawned, covering his mouth with his wrist. "Maybe wine isn't a good idea after all." She smiled, tipping her head onto the back of the couch as she pulled her feet up and curled herself into the couch. She could feel herself becoming needlessly self conscious.

"It's fine. It feels good to relax. Besides, we never had our closed case drinks that we always have." He said, holding out his glass to her, she smiled and leaned forward, toasting her glass with his. "To us." He said with a friendly smile. Their eyes didn't move from one another's as they sipped from their glasses. Temperance blushed a little more, the longer their eyes were connected, and after almost a minute, she let her eyes drift to the Christmas tree. She stared at it for several moments.

Her thoughts drifted to many things in the following moments. She thought of her father putting the tree up, decorating it himself. She thought of the lights that lined the shelves in her often boring and neat apartment. She thought of her friends, her family surrounding the table in a peaceful prayer, despite her attempt to squelch it. She thought of the family that was missing from that table, her mother, her brother. She thought of those that stayed, she thought of Booth, and before she could stop that lightning speed thought, he stopped her.

"Hey, Booth said softly, pulling her from her silent reverie. She smiled at him shyly.

She couldn't help herself, and the words poured from her lips before she could think otherwise. "Why were you hiding behind the Christmas tree last night?" she asked, noting the surprise in his expression.

She watched him recover quickly, and her embarrassment for blurting the question dissipated into the warm air. "I wasn't hiding."

"You were standing there." She stated in quiet defiance.

"And you broke into my apartment." He chuckled when he said it, so she knew that he wasn't upset, but still she couldn't hold his stare and she looked back to the tree. "So you knew I was there?"

She looked to him and smiled. "How could anyone miss those socks you were wearing? You couldn't even hide them in the dark from across the room." She laughed. "It was how I knew that it was you, and not an intruder or something."

He laughed, and she watched him blush a little as he chuckled. "Why didn't you say anything?" He asked, watching her shrug as she turned toward him, bringing her knees up to her chest, she watched him.

"I figured you had a good reason for it." Turning her head to face the Christmas tree, she let him recover from her reply.

"You figured I had a good reason for it?" He asked, leaning forward, he tried to catch her eyes, but she wouldn't relent and let him have them, she refused to look away from the tree. "Bones?" he said, waiting for her eyes to meet his, it took her a moment, but her head turned.

"Why were you behind the Christmas tree?" She asked again, her eyes honest and clear as she watched him avoid eye contact with her this time, his laugh was forced and nervous. She felt bad for pressing, but was simply curious. She knew that if he wanted to share it with her, he would. If he didn't, she'd understand.

"I don't know why."

"You don't know why?" she asked, tilting her head. She watched him for several moments, and he stared at the tree. She could tell that he wanted to say more, from the way his lips moved, but nothing came out. Suddenly, he placed his glass on the table and stood up. She was surprised when he walked to her and extended a hand to her. "What?" she asked. She watched him wiggle his fingers, and immediately she put her glass down, and took his hand. She let him pull her up, and could feel him tugging at her arm. He slipped behind her Christmas tree into the corner, and she gasped in surprise when he pulled her along with him. "Booth, what are we doing?" He pulled her in front of him and put his hands on her shoulders. When she looked up at him, he was looking directly into the tree. "Booth?"

"Look straight ahead." He said, nodding toward the tree.

"It's a tree…" she said, looking at the tree, and back up at him. She wasn't quite sure what he was getting at.

"You're a genius."

"I know." She whispered, staring at the tree for a moment. She could hear the sarcasm in his voice, but knew that he meant no harm. He was just trying to make his point, whatever it was.

"Shh, Bones." She stared out into her living room through the tree, and she could feel his hand absentmindedly rubbing her arms tenderly. She felt a shiver work its way up her spine and her shoulders shrugged as his breath brushed across her ear. Her thoughts immediately went to the angel that topped the tree in Booth's apartment, the beauty and grace of the object. Her thoughts then went to Booth. Her thoughts went to the night before, when she spied him hiding, or standing, or whatever he was doing behind that tree the night before. She tried to stop herself, but before she could, her thoughts began to pour from her lips.

"I loved Christmas when I was a little girl," she suddenly whispered. "Before my parents disappeared, of course." It only took her a moment to calm with his gentle touch on her arms, and she continued. Temperance swallowed hard as she watched the lights twinkling through the tree, her eyes focused on the ornaments as she looked through the tree. "I loved the smell of the tree, and the feel of the needles on my fingertips… I loved the ornaments on the trees, and my mom and dad would drive us around the different neighborhoods, to look at the lights that everyone decorated their houses with. Russ and I would pick our favorites… and when we'd ride around the next week or so, my dad would always make sure he drove by our favorites." She paused as she stared at the branches before her. She felt the burning of embarrassment at being so open, but at the same time, she felt free. It was when she stopped when she felt his chin resting on her shoulder.

"Bones?" he whispered.

"Hmm…?" She said, turning her head. She could feel his skin against her cheek, and she felt warm against him, and despite the proximity to his lips, she remained calmly disconnected.

"I think that you figured out why I stand behind the Christmas tree each year." he whispered.

"So that you can look at the lights?" she asked. She knew that wasn't what he meant, but she needed for him to say the words. She turned her head back to the tree, and listened to his tender sigh.

"Not exactly."

"To try to recapture the way you felt when you were a little boy?"

She could feel him relax suddenly. "Mmm…" He nodded slightly, burying his nose in her shoulder slightly as they both remained silent for several minutes. "Are you going to make fun of me?" he whispered, his voice slightly muffled by her shoulder as she turned her head quickly to look into his eyes.

"No," she said sternly, her eyebrows furrowing, sending his head away from her shoulder as he looked at her with a pained expression. "Why would I do that?"

"Because it's silly and irrational, and it doesn't serve any other purpose other than for people to look in on me and make fun of me for being strange, or feel sorry for me."

"I don't feel sorry for you," she replied. "And I don't look in at you, Booth. I prefer to be things through your eyes every once in a while."

"Thanks, Bones," he whispered, settling back against the wall with a soft smile. She felt comfortable in his arms, warm, so she leaned back against him, allowing his arms to wrap around her securely.

"Thank you, Booth."

"For what?" he whispered into her hair.

"Thank you for sharing this with me."

"It's the magic of Christmas, Bones."


End file.
